Begin your career in science, psychology, sport science, geography or health
If you study a research subject, such as psychology, you might also be able to collect data for your final year project during your placement.
If you plan on studying sport and exercise science, your placement will help you take your first steps towards professional registration with an organisation such as the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES).
Portsmouth quickly eliminated the fears I had of a non-vocational course. I've had various placement opportunities that I would not have dreamed of. In fact, one opportunity led to another since year one, and I have high hopes for the future.
Earth and environmental science placements
On our earth and environmental science courses, you'll investigate how our planet formed, explore our energy resources and study natural processes. You can do a sandwich year placement to apply your studies on many of our courses.
Placement areas
The type of sector you'll apply for depends on your interests within the earth and environmental sciences. Our previous earth and environmental science students have done roles in areas such as:
- Water supply and safety
- Waste treatment and disposal
- Conservation
- Remediation of contaminated land
- Environmental management
- Marine ecotoxicology
Engineering Geology and Geotechnics
You could get an Industrial Bursary if you chose to study the engineering Geology and Geotechnics course pathway of our BSc (Hons) Earth Science course.
If your application is successful, you'll be awarded:
- A bursary of £1,750 for years 1, 2 and 4
- An 8-week paid work placement after year 1
- A 44-week paid work placement year after year 2
This scheme is sponsored by industry partners. Our current industry partners include Atkins, BAM Nuttall, Fugro, Geotechnical and Environmental Associates (GEA), The Geological Society, Keller, Peter Brett, Soils Limited, Southern Testing and SRK Consulting, Socotec, Keltbray and Wardel Armstrong.
You'll work with 1 partner for your 8-week paid placement and your 44-week paid placement. You'll be matched with this company in February of the first year of your course, during a matching day. You're advised to research the sponsor companies before the day, during which you'll chat informally to employers. At the end of the day, you'll submit a list of your preferred companies and we'll use this to match you to your placement employer. After you're matched, most employers will arrange for you to visit the company before the end of March.
Psychology placements
A psychology degree can lead to many exciting careers. The type of placement you’ll do depends on the career path you want, such as clinical psychology, forensic psychology, teaching or human resources.
Placement locations and roles
- Assistant psychologist at a medium secure unit (providing assessment, care and treatment for adults with serious mental illness)
- Assistant occupational psychologist at the world's largest information technology company
- Student clinical psychologist at assertive outreach teams in the NHS
- Teaching assistant a secondary school
- Student psychologist in an educational psychology team
- Business operations assistant at a leading global investment banking company
- Student clinical psychologist at an adult and young offenders prison
- Student researcher at a conservation centre in Malaysia
- Category industrial placement student at a global healthcare company
Sport, health and exercise science placements
Our sports science degrees can start your career in areas such as sports therapy, nutrition, personal training, coaching and research. Sports science placements give you the opportunity to experience roles in these areas and can help you decide your path after graduation.
Placement locations and roles
The type of role you’ll apply for depends on your interests in sport and exercise science.
On most courses, you'll get to choose your placement based on your career interests. On the MSc Clinical Exercise Physiology course, your placement will be arranged for you with NHS Hospital Trusts, Community Trusts, charitable organisations or local leisure services. You'll work in areas such as cardiac rehabilitation, pulmonary rehabilitation, exercise after stroke or cancer and falls prevention.
Previous sport, health and exercise science students have done placement roles including:
- Academy coach at Peterborough United FC
- Research assistants in the Department of Sport and Exercise Science
- Trainee physiotherapist
- Camp leader at Camp America
- Strength and conditioning coach at Watford FC
- Project worker at the Active Communities Network
- Physical education teaching assistant
- Performance analyst assistant at London Irish
- Basketball development manager in Tanzania
- Sports development officer
- Athletic union management support
- Event management assistants
- National Citizen Service (NCS) programme leader
- Self-employed as a personal trainer and sports masseuse
- Community projects intern at Pompey in the Community
- Director of coaching at Berkshire Elite Coaching
Health science and care professions placements
Our health and care professions courses prepare you for jobs such as pharmacist, nurse, social worker or radiographer. These course include compulsory placements to ensure you have the workplace experience you need to work in these roles after you graduate.
Placement locations
- Integrated NHS trusts such as Isle Of Wight NHS Trust
- Local authorities such as Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council, Southampton City Council and Isle of Wight Council Public Health Department
- NHS ambulance trusts such as South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
- NHS community trusts such as Solent NHS Trust, Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust and Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
- NHS hospital trusts as Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust and University Hospitals Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
- Private healthcare organisations such as BUPA, Care UK, Nuffield Health and Spire
- GP practices
- Advice and advocacy services
- Ambulances and emergency care settings
- Community healthcare settings
- Criminal justice settings
- Dental practices
- Drug and alcohol services
- GP practices
- Hospitals
- Rehabilitation services
- Residential care settings
- Respite services
- Retail businesses
- Schools
- Social services
- Special care dental services
Biological science placements
On our flexible biological science courses, you can do work-based placements that take a few weeks to a year. We have a network of partners from industries, government agencies, conservation non-governmental organisations (NGOs), research institutions and national work placement schemes.
Placement locations
Previous biological science students have done placements at locations including:
Contact us
To get in touch, please contact our Faculty Placements Hub.
Phone: +44 (0)23 9284 2994
Email: scihealthplacementshub@port.ac.uk